Search form

Search form

Experts predict that the effect of sequestration on the hotel industry will grow stronger as government agencies gradually implement budget cuts. "I would liken it to running on a treadmill. If you set the incline up, you don't necessarily feel it right away. It's kind of a slow burn in terms of the impact of this being felt," said Marlene Colucci, AH&LA's executive vice president of public policy.

Related Summaries

After a Texas woman's death at a hotel raised questions about calling for emergency services from hotel rooms, AH&LA has been coordinating with its members to make it possible for guests to dial 911 directly. "What happened in Texas is a tragic incident, an unacceptable situation," said Vanessa Sinders, AH&LA senior vice president of governmental affairs. "Obviously, the situation identified a blind spot in the hotel's safety and security procedures." Read more about AH&LA's work on the matter here.

The reintroduction of the JOLT (Jobs Originated through Launching Travel) Act in the House of Representatives has been met with approval from travel groups including the U.S. Travel Association and AH&LA. The bill seeks the growth of foreign travel into the U.S. -- and its benefits on the economy -- by expanding the country's Visa Waiver Program and easing visa-application procedures. "Increasing travel to the United States is the most effective form of economic stimulus -- creating millions of new American jobs, adding billions to the U.S. economy, and benefitting every community around the country. We need to pass the JOLT Act this Congress," said Marlene Colucci, AH&LA's executive vice president for public policy.

New accessibility rules concerning the use of public pools under the revised Americans with Disabilities Act took effect this week. Most hotels across the U.S. have taken steps to comply with the new rules after securing an extension on the deadline in 2012. "We spent a year, really, educating our members on what the requirements are," said Marlene Colucci, AH&LA's executive vice president of public policy.

A report by nonprofit group Puget Sound Sage says that hotel workers in Seattle are suffering from low wages and inadequate health care benefits. Marlene Colucci, AH&LA's executive vice president for public policy, responded to the report's findings by pointing out that the union Unite Here contributed to the study and that makes the report's critique of hotels "nothing more than propaganda." When unions try to organize workers in new cities, reports like this tend to surface, Colucci says.

As the goals of both parties and President George W. Bush on immigration policy converge, many in the hotel industry are hopeful for a solution that helps address the industry's worker needs. "Everyone is dedicated to finding a solution," American Hotel & Lodging Association executive Marlene M. Colucci said.